In the works of Daisy Miller and The Beast in the Jungle, author Henry James provides readers with multiple explanations of why for which it is important to live. a busy life. These two novels share many similarities, including central themes, a flawed main character, and a hamartia that makes the stories truly tragic. Both stories warn of the dangers of distracting ourselves from the pleasure of life. However, while general traits are shared, certain topics contrast sharply, notably the role of love in life, as well as the role of a secondary female character in the protagonist's downfall. Although there are radically opposing elements between the two stories, the central story of a man's fall into an unfulfilled life remains constant. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Daisy Miller and The Beast in the Jungle share strikingly similar protagonists. In Daisy Miller, Winterbourne is a man living abroad who meets young Daisy Miller. Immediately intrigued, Winterbourne becomes obsessed with Daisy, both out of infatuation and judgment. As Daisy continues to gallop through Rome, Winterbourne judges her every careless decision, all the while searching for her love. By becoming entangled in this ultimately futile drama and unsuccessfully trying to define Daisy, he wasted his precious time in obsession. The character of John Marcher in The Beast in the Jungle is quite similar. Marcher is a man who lives with the persistent fear of a "beast in the jungle", that is, of a future event which will probably traumatize him but which will ultimately give meaning to his life. As his life progresses without confronting the beast, Marcher's fear grows until it consumes his mind. He becomes so obsessed that even when he gets older, he still has nothing to show for it. Ultimately, both characters' obsessive perspectives cause their downfall. From these common protagonists arises the common theme of the undeniable sadness of a life poorly lived. In Daisy Miller, Winterbourne develops an obsession with playing the ambiguous character of Daisy. He continually tries to define her and place her within his preconceived structure of different classes of women. However, Daisy is unique and difficult to pin down. While she continues to live her life exactly how she wants, Winterbourne sacrifices her own life for her love for Daisy. After the two reunite in Rome, there is a melancholy tone, as Winterbourne must accept that Daisy enjoys the company of many men other than him. With unrequited love, Winterbourne has nothing to show for his obsession except the sadness of a distracted life. The Beast in the Jungle also explores this theme in the life of John Marcher. Marcher is obsessed with the persistent beast that could change him forever, so much so that it prevents him from living a normal life. For example, Marcher never marries his lifelong companion, May Bartram. Although she loves him with the utmost loyalty, he is too focused on love's impending doom. As he reaches the end of his life and the perceived beast has yet to strike, Marcher recognizes that he has truly accomplished nothing in his life. The distraction drained the fun out of Marcher's life, leaving only regrets. A secondary theme that can be identified in both texts is that of fate exacerbating failure. James seems to explore the maxim "When it rains, it rains", creating lives even more disappointing than those created by the protagonists themselves. Daisy Miller's conclusion finds Winterbourne.